Tough Choices
by atomicseasoning
Summary: A fan fic that brings aspects of Disney's Cinderella, Enchanted, and Little Mermaid all together in a short story.
1. Chapter 1

Tough Choices

Once upon a time, Prince Charming was traveling through the forest on his horse. It was a beautiful day and he thought that it was a good day to go riding. It had been several years since he'd married Cinderella and so far she had not produced an heir for their kingdom, so it was on that and a number of other issues that he was contemplating on as he rode his trusty white stallion through the forest that lovely Spring day.

As they rode on, the ears on his horse suddenly perked up and it began to canter forward at an increased rate. "Woah boy slow down! Ha ha have you heard something ol' boy?" Charming playfully asked the horse as he attempted to calm it down. He gently patted the horse's neck, then turned to listen to the faint music he could hear in the distance. He turned his horse down a faint path and through a thicket until he came to a clearing in which sat a small, quaint cottage, with a thatched roof, a number of various shaped windows, and several rosebushes planted near the front door.

Charming could hear the lovely voice of a maiden singing from inside the cottage and to that extent he was curious about the occupant of such a quaint little abode, so he called out "Hello is anyone home?" while still on horseback.

Suddenly he heard the voice call out "Yes I'm here!" as just as suddenly a young maiden with long, strawberry blond hair leaned out the window and stared down at him, saying "Oh my! You're here!" Then she ducked back inside the cottage and Charming could hear her footsteps as they came bounding down the stairs and the maiden burst out the front door of her cottage and ran right up to Prince Charming who had dismounted from his horse.

"Oh you're here! You're here! I knew you'd come someday!..." the maiden said excitedly as she drew nearer to him.

"Oh...uh you knew I was coming? I just happened upon your cottage in the woods after I heard you singing. Do you know you have a lovely voice, Miss...?" Charming asked tentatively.

"Oh thank you! I don't get many visitors, especially handsome ones who tell me that I have a lovely voice." the maiden said excitedly, then said "Oh, I'm Giselle! And by the way what's your name?"

"My name's Prince Charming and I'm from..." Charming introduced himself and held out a hand to her.

"Oh I KNEW IT! Riding in through the forest on a white charger, I just knew someday my Prince would come!" Giselle squealed with delight as she attempted to climb upon the back of his horse.

"Hey woah, wait a minute lady, may I ask what you're doing?" Charming asked as he stared at her skeptically.

"Why climbing aboard your horse of course, so that you can take me to your kingdom and we can live happily ever after with true love's kiss, silly!" Giselle sighed as she looked dreamily in the distance.

"Well I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm already married, so I'm afraid I can't take you back to my kingdom." Charming said as he went over to his horse and gently helped Giselle down off the saddle.

"Oh you're married? That's too bad. So no true love's kiss then?" Giselle asked dejectedly.

"No true love's kiss, but you could provide this weary traveler with a bite to eat, if you have anything to spare...?" Prince Charming chuckled as he asked Giselle.

"Oh yes I think I can find something! Come into my cottage and I'll see if I can find something to eat. Do you like pancakes with elderberry syrup and perhaps an egg and bit of fresh greens?" Giselle asked as she motioned for him to follow her into her cottage.

"That sounds delicious, lead the way." Charming said as he followed her into the cottage.

Charming sat down on a chair that seemed to be made from a bunch of bent limbs and branches, then let his eyes scan the rest of the cottage as Giselle began to prepare the meal by pulling the frying pan off of a hook on the wall and place it on a strange looking stove. He glanced around the rest of the cottage, noticing the interesting furniture all about the main room of the cottage.

"You have interesting furniture Giselle. I've never seen the like before. Where did you get it?" he asked as he glanced around the room.

"Oh I made it myself...with help from my animal friends of course. I do everything with the help of my animal friends." Giselle commented as she continued to gather ingredients for the meal.

"Everything?" Charming asked a bit skeptically, grinning at her.

"Oh yes, just watch." Giselle said as she proceeded to go over to her window, lean out it, and begin to sing "Ahhh Ahhh..."

Suddenly all sorts of animals began answering her back in sing song voices, seemingly singing back to her the same song. Then the animals crawled, hopped, scampered, scurried and flew into the cottage and began to help her with the meal preparations.

Prince Charming just sat there and laughed, as he watched in wonderment the chaos of the animals helping Giselle in a poetic ballet of motion. Then when the meal was presented to him he glanced down at it and asked "My it looks delicious, but is it fit to eat?" as he picked up a fork and glanced down at his plate.

"Of course the food is fit to eat! My animal friends make sure to bathe before they help me cook." Giselle commented, surprised at Charming's comment.

"Oh okay I didn't mean to offend you, I'll taste it...mmm it is good! Some of the best cooking I've had in quite a while." Charming said as he ate his meal.

"Oh thank you sire, I don't get to cook for other people very often. I'm glad you like it." Giselle sighed as she glanced at him.

"Oh enough with the 'sire' bit, you can just call me Charming if you like." he said as he finished his meal.

"Charming, that's nice. So if you can't take me to your castle, can we still be friends?" Giselle asked.

"Sure, I don't see any problem with that. Yeah we can be friends." he said.

"Oh good, that would be splendid! Well if we're friends, then can I call you Char?" she asked expectantly.

"Ha ha I guess if you like..." he chuckled.

"Cool! Then Char I think you should meet all of my animal friends in the forest. Ahh Ahh ahh..." Giselle said as she then proceeded to call all of her animal friends back around her. The animals gathered around the couple as Giselle introduced each animal to Charming, naming them each by name.

Afterward Giselle escorted Charming outside of the cottage, where they viewed the rosebushes and Giselle proceeded to describe to Charming how she'd planted and tended the rosebushes for many years. Charming was enjoying his respite and visit with Giselle so much that he'd lost track of time and suddenly realized he was running late and needed to get back to the castle.

"Giselle, it's been a nice time meeting and visiting with you, but it's getting late and I need to go." Charming said.

"Oh you've got to go? That's too bad, though visiting with you was lovely indeed. You will come back to visit again tomorrow, won't you?" Giselle sighed as she asked.

"Ah I would like that very much. I don't know if I can come tomorrow, but I'll see what I can do." Charming chuckled as he kissed her hand, mounted his horse and rode off.

"Goodbye Char, see you later!" Giselle sang as Charming waved goodbye and rode off in the distance. Then she went back in her cottage and began to sing again as she and her animal friends cleaned her cottage.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day, Prince Charming just couldn't get Giselle off of his mind. Oh he still loved his wife Cinderella, but Giselle with her strawberry blond hair and doe-eyed stare along with her innocence was someone that he just couldn't forget.

Quietly he saddled his horse and rode into the woods, straight to Giselle's cottage, where he could hear her singing. When Giselle looked out the window and noticed Charming, she bounded out of the house and ran up to him, yelling "You're here! You're here! Oh I knew you would come! Hi!" then gave him a hug.

"Oh hello Giselle! Ha ha, quite the greeting!" Charming laughed then peeled her off.

"Oh Char yesterday when we were chatting, I started to wonder about you." Giselle commented.

"Really? What do you want to know?" Charming answered with a question.

"I want to know all about you. What makes you tick?" she asked.

"Well I'm a prince, have been my whole life. I've been married for almost five years now to my wife Cindy. Cindy's something else herself, sings to animals and so forth much like you do, and is quite handy in the kitchen too. She was lucky that I was able to help her out of that situation with her step mother right before we married." Charming explained.

"Oh she sounds lovely!" Giselle gasped.

"Oh yes she is, although we sometimes have our issues too. One of which is that we haven't produced an heir yet..." Charming sighed.

"An heir what's that?" Giselle asked innocently.

"Oh you are so young and innocent...well lets just say its something that my wife and I are having issues with." Charming sighed dejectedly.

"That's too bad and so sad...Oh I know you should sing to her!" Giselle gasped.

"Sing to her?" he asked.

"Oh yes, sing to her a sweet ballad that tells of your affection, then you'll know for sure." Giselle started to sing, as she danced around in a circle.

"Well if you think it would work?" he replied.

"Oh yes a ballad would be lovely indeed." Giselle said as she knelt down beside him. Then she asked "Why were you staring at me?"

"Oh your dancing reminds me of a mythical wood sprite. You're such a wild little thing, keep on dancing if you like. Though I just realized that you are barefoot and don't have any shoes. That's funny, especially considering how I'd met my wife..." he said as she got up and began to dance again.

"Oh why does that matter? I like being barefoot." Giselle laughed as she danced around.

"Yes you're right, I guess it shouldn't. It shouldn't matter what size shoe someone wears or what her voice sounds like, as a deciding factor about someone." he trailed off in thought.

"Ah you're getting somewhere now, Char." Giselle said as she continued to dance.

"Hmm, Giselle would you like to learn how we dance at the palace?" Charming interrupted.

"Oh of course! What do I do?" she asked as she stopped dancing.

Prince Charming stood up, went over to her, took her hand and instructed her "Okay, to be a real princess you must learn to waltz. The waltz is fairly easy, you just stand like this and put your one hand here and your other there..."

"Like this?"

"Yes good job. Okay just follow me, One-two-three-one-two-three, yeah there you're getting it..." he said as he led her through a waltz and hummed a simple tune.

"He he this is fun...oops sorry about stepping on your foot.." Giselle giggled and followed his lead.

"Oh ha ha that's fine. Perhaps it is good you're barefoot, so that when you step on my toes it doesn't hurt so much." Charming chuckled.

"Hmm, this is fun...but why can't we go faster, like this..." Giselle said as she led him in a quick polka-like folk dance.

She led through her dance a bit, until Charming started getting a bit out of breath, then he replied "Oh ho Giselle! Ha ha quite the dance! You'll have to show me how this one's done on your own." Then collapsed on the ground a stared up at her.

Giselle just laughed and proceeded to dance in the tall grass in the sun. She then fell down and picked flowers which she wove into her hair, and they proceeded to walk and talk awhile longer, until it was time for Charming to leave. At their parting, Giselle patted his hand and looked up at him, saying "Remember what I said about the ballad, and good luck."

"Okay Giselle I'll remember. Until later..." Charming said as he rode away.

"Goodbye Char, until later!" Giselle called as she waved.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

And so Charming and Giselle's relationship proceeded as such. He'd ride out to her cottage where they eat, take a walk, and sit in a meadow to chat. He would tell her of the issues he had as a prince and she would just listen, making her various comments about what he had to tell her.

One day while they were talking and Giselle was making a flower chain, Charming sighed and said "Ah this is the best, just relaxing, not having to worry about duty or propriety, just relaxing on a summer day."

"You don't get many of those as a prince, do you?" Giselle asked.

"As a prince? Ha, no I don't and I can't admit that to my father or my wife anymore. They keep trying to change me and I just feel so frustrated sometimes. Sometimes I wish I weren't a prince.." Charming growled.

"Change you? That's too bad. Why do they want to change you? I don't think you need to change, why I think you're fine as you are Char. Anyway if you don't want to be a prince why do you have to stay one?" Giselle asked.

"Ah Giselle you're a breath of fresh air! Oh some things aren't that easy to change, especially issues based on birth and lineage, such as royalty. I was born a prince and one I will stay, until I inherit the throne from my father..." Charming sighed.

"Oh well I pray that you can find a solution to your problems. I hate to see any of my friends upset, especially my best friend." Giselle said concerned for him.

"Best friend?" Charming asked cautiously.

"Yes Char, we've become such good friends, I think of you as my best friend. Don't you?" Giselle sighed.

"Well I guess we are good friends...yes I suppose you are my best friend Giselle..." Charming chuckled, then sobered, "...although I don't know if you should be..."

"Oh by why ever not, Char?" Giselle asked, with naive concern in her large doe eyes.

"Ah little Giselle you're so sweet and innocent to the issues of the world...let's just say...well it's no big issue if we don't make it so. Yeah I guess you're my best friend in this place. This enchanted bower of nature you have here..." Charming sighed as he was tempted to brush a wayward lock of hair out of her eyes.

"Bower of nature?" Giselle asked.

"Yeah never mind, I've got to go back home, though I hate to leave you...but I can hear thunder in the distance so I must be going now." Charming said as he got up, then helped her up by giving her a hand.

"Oh Char I hate to see you leave, but you are coming back aren't you?" Giselle asked, with pleading in her innocent eyes.

"Oh Giselle, yes I'll come back here. Back to where I feel at home. Back to where you live in a world where you live free in harmony and majesty with nature. Ah so beautiful, calling me just like the call of the sea." Charming said as he climbed on his horse and began to ride away.

"The sea, what's that?" Giselle asked aloud.

"Ah I'll tell you about that the next time I come to visit." Charming said as he rode away.

Giselle just stood there and watched him leave, sighing as she realized how much she'd miss her friend.

When Charming got back to the castle a while later and had just pulled his horse into the stable to brush him and give him his feed, Cinderella suddenly appeared around the corner and started chatting with him.

"So you've been lately out riding dear, haven't you?" she asked.

"Oh yes..." he answered curtly.

"You must have fun because you're often not back for hours. You're not out visiting my sister Anastasia now are you?" Cinderella jokingly asked.

"Well no, I can honestly say I'm not out visiting your sister Anastasia." he chuckled low.

"That's good. Hmm...love we don't spend as much time together as we used to. You're always so distracted and distant lately, with your daily rides and whatever else. Maybe we can go riding together, sometime. Why, we could even take along a picnic. That'd be fun now, wouldn't it?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes it would...hmm how about tomorrow?" Charming said as he drew her toward him and held her close.

"Oh hon, I would love too, but I have a party I need to get ready for. A social soirée for the heads of state and their wives, you remember that event is coming soon. Then I have the charity meeting for the orphan's home, and I have to help..." Cinderella went on to say.

"Ah yes another time then, my busy, busy wife." Charming sighed.

"Oh it's only one day dear, then the day after tomorrow I'll be free. Dear it's duty, and anyway what difference does a day make, in the scheme of things?" Cinderella laughed and then walked on ahead of her husband, into the castle, as Prince Charming sighed and followed her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next day dawned blazing hot as the sun beat down it's powerful rays on the kingdom. Knowing his wife was busy with her charity work, and craving a place to escape the heat, Prince Charming rode into the woods and soon made his way to Giselle's cottage.

When she noticed he'd arrived, Giselle ran out to greet him and fell into his arms. Then she said "Oh Char how are you doing? It's so good to see you." as she pulled back and motioned him to follow her.

"Oh I'm hot and thirsty after a strenuous trek through the forest. You don't happen to have anything to drink?" he replied as they walked toward the cottage.

"Oh just some fresh spring water, if you don't mind." she said happily as she poured him a glass, as he took a seat on a stump outside the door.

"Ah that hits the spot! Thank you Giselle, you always take good care of me." Charming sighed as he drank the water in one gulp.

"Oh you're welcome Char, any time. Anyway are you going to tell me about the sea then?" Giselle inquired, as she lay a plate of melon on a small table she had outside.

Charming grabbed a slice of the melon and ate a piece, while he pondered Giselle's inquiry. "The sea...hmm ha ha how can I describe it? Well it's a big body of water that stretches far as the eye can see. It's big enough for ships to sail on it and sometimes people swim in it. And oh there are fish, crabs, and all sorts of creatures under the sea." Charming explained, then said jokingly, "Why I've even heard tales of mermaids living under the sea..."

"Mermaids? Really? Have you ever seen one?" Giselle asked excitedly.

"Well no...actually they don't exist...or least least I've never seen one. But don't get too upset, because I guess you never know.." Charming laughingly admitted.

"Oh well, with or without mermaids, the sea sounds like something I'd like to see someday." Giselle sighed.

"Well perhaps you will dear, perhaps someday you will." Charming said.

"Body of water, hmm...Oh I just realized that I've never taken you to my favorite spot in the summer. We'll pack a picnic and I'll show you. Come on! " Giselle said excitedly as quickly gather a jug of water and the rest of the melon into a bowl, then beckoned Charming to follow her.

"Okay Giselle, lead the way." Charming said as he followed along behind her on a narrow trail through the thicket, helping her carry the impromptu picnic items. When they came out through the brambles into a clearing in a forest glen, Prince Charming was taken aback, while Giselle just smiled and giggled.

"Welcome to my 'sea' or forest pool as the case may be. He he isn't just lovely?" Giselle said as she skipped and danced lithely in a patch of grass along the edge of the pool.

"Lovely isn't the half of it, it's enchanting, quite enchanting indeed." Charming said as he stared at the pool and it's surroundings. The pool was in the middle of a somewhat small clearing in the forest. There was all sorts of trees, moss, flowers and so forth growing from around the crystal clear pool, which was fed by a waterfall that cascaded over rocks twenty feet above. Along the shore, a few yards from the waterfall was a large rock, which Giselle suddenly climbed and sat on.

"Oh I see you've found someplace to perch, my little bird." Charming laughed when he saw her. He then settled down on the shore of the pool and set the water and the fruit nearby.

"Little bird? He he, I like that! Well this is my favorite place to sit when I come here, so just sit down in the grass over there and I'll show you how I call the fishies in my pool." Giselle said, happily.

"Call out the fishies?" Charming asked skeptically.

"Yes Char, just watch and listen, you'll see." Giselle exclaimed, as she proceeded to draw out a small metal flute and play a cheery tune, which suddenly made several small fish come to the surface and splash around.

"Well I'll be! That's amazing Giselle! How'd you learn to do that? Where did you get that flute?" Charming asked, staring at Giselle, amazed at her talent.

"Oh that's nothing. I've always been good with most animals, I got that from my mother's side. While the flute, well I got that from my father's side, literally. My parents' story is sort of a long one, and you may not believe parts of it, but I'll tell you if you want to hear it." Giselle said shyly, as she stared down at his handsome face and just sighed.

"I'll listen to your story Giselle, go on you enchanting little nymph." Charming said with laughter in his voice as he stared up at her.

"Well, it's funny that you just called me that, because according to my mother, I'm part 'folk' or at least that's what she always told me when she told me how she and papa met..." Giselle started to explain.

"Part folk? Uh sorry go on..." Charming interrupted.

"Yes part folk, or little people...uh how can I explain... Well anyway, my parents are named Saaski and Tam, and they've known each other since they were children of only 11 or 12 years old, when they met on the moors. My mama, Saaski, always told me the unbelievable story of how she was raised by this village couple, the village smithy and his wife, until she was almost 12 years old and she met my papa, Tam, out on the moors playing his pipe and herding goats.

That might not sound unusual, however several events happened around that time which caused my parents to run away together at a young age, though they were just friends for several years at first. Around that time, my mama discovered that she was part 'folk', that her own mother was a woodland fairy delicate and nary to two feet tall, who years earlier had led a young fisherman lad into the fairy mound where she and her merry band lived. Now the mound is an enchanted place indeed, and unless you're folk, you'll see riches and banquets that aren't there and I guess that's what happened to my grandfather. He was in there seemingly a moment, but came out an old man, and went to live in his fishing cottage by the sea. Eventually my mother was born, and she was raised 'folk' at first, but then when they realized that she was only part folk, they exchanged her for a human baby, the daughter of the village smithy and his wife, and so for the next eleven years my mother was raised as a human girl. She said she was teased often, because of her blond hair, slightly darker complexion, and her long fingers and toes. My mama has always loved nature, so she went to the moors, where she met my father, Tam, who was working as a goatherd.

Anyway, eventually my mama rediscovered her 'folk' side, and with the help of papa, was able to meet her own father, and to rescue the smithy's real daughter from the 'folk mound' just in the nick of time and restore her to her home. Then my parents ran off together to play London and so forth, and eventually they came to the Continent, had me, lived here for a spell, then went off. Papa Tam gave me his flute a few years back and said that they'd come back and see me after mama had her fill of the moors...unless my prince would come and sweep me away before then...he he..." Giselle happily explained, almost out of breath near the end of her story.

"My Giselle, that is quite the story indeed! I don't know if I believe half of it, but then again stranger things have happened. You should hear the story about how I met my wife, her shoes, stepmother, fairy godmother, etc." Prince Charming said as he went on to tell Cinderella's story.

"My that is quite the story indeed too! A fairy godmother and pumpkin carriages and all of that sounds so magical indeed! Ah so romantic..." Giselle sighed as she glanced down at him.

"Yeah its pretty romantic alright...until your father and the kingdom insist you produce an heir as soon as possible...and it doesn't happen..." Prince Charming groaned in disgust, throwing his arm over his eyes.

"Oh ha ha Char, don't be so sad, when you groan like that you sound like an old bear! I know what'll cool you off, come let's go for a swim!" Giselle said excitedly.

"A swim?" Charming asked.

"Sure, it's certainly hot enough. Come on, last one in is a rotten goose egg..." Giselle exclaimed, as she reached back and grabbed a vine, then swung out across the pool and dived in feet first.

"Ha ha I guess when you say you want to swim, you do it. Just dive right in, gown and all." Charming laughed as she dove in.

Giselle quickly resurfaced then looked up at him saying "Oh I don't mind about my gown, I'll just have my animal friends help with a new one if needed." Then slightly coy, she said "Come on Char , you don't know what you're missing! Dive in and have a swim."

Finding the whole situation all too irresistible, Prince Charming gave in, kicked off his boots , and dove in after her. The two played and frolicked in the water, though both becoming all too aware of each other. He caught her and gave her a playful kiss on the cheek, but then she dunked him under and swam away, got to shore and started to run off.

"You can't get away from me that easily Giselle!" Charming laughed as he stepped out of the pool and started to chase after her. After a merry chase of hiding behind rocks and trees on the shore, he caught her in a bear hug and she laughed said "I forfeit I forfeit! Ha ha ha"

They laughed and then flopped on the shore to dry off in the sun and eat their picnic of fruit and water. Giselle started combing the tangles from her hair with her fingers and shared pieces of melon with him, while Charming laid there and stared up at the sunlight filtering through the trees.

"Oh that was fun, Giselle! I haven't been swimming in far too long! Thanks for the idea." he said as he relaxed.

Giselle stared down at him and sighed, then on impulse she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss, and simultaneously licked off the melon juice that was dribbling down his chin. It happened so fast , it startled both a bit, and Charming laughed and said "Oh what was that?"

"Oh my true love's kiss...that was a true love's kiss wasn't it? I've been wanting to do that for awhile now." Giselle said shyly, then added "Plus you had melon juice dribbling down your chin, he he."

"Ha ha, Oh really? Sorry to be such a slob." he joked wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"Oh I don't think you're a slob...Far from it. Hmm so how'd you like the true love's kiss?" she asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh I think you can do better than that. Just lean down a bit more. Usually a kiss lasts longer than that..." he said mischievously.

"Oh okay sure...Like this?" Giselle said as she leaned down and pressed her lips to his. This kiss lasted longer than the first, and soon his hand cupped her jaw and their tongues met. Lost in the moment, fulfilling long denied passion, Prince Charming forgot that he was with Giselle and not Cinderella, so he rolled over in the tall grass taking control and soon the kiss progressed even further. When Giselle innocently tugged at his clothing and he lifted her gown, it only felt natural to him.

After some time, they lay back, and Giselle nestled against his chest and sighed "Oh Char that was amazing! That was surely a true love's kiss, I'm certain. Oh Char, I think I lov..."

Prince Charming just stared up at the trees, the realization and guilt of what they had just done came slamming back at him like a ton of bricks. He suddenly got up, righted his clothing, and ran off towards his horse, saying "D-don't say anymore. Uh sorry Giselle, I've got to go."

"Got to go? Oh okay, but I'll miss you. Are you coming back soon?" Giselle asked, pleading in her doe eyes.

"I'd love to, but I've gotta go...I'm sorry..." Charming said as he began to gallop away on his horse.

"Sorry? Being in love means never having to say you're sorry...and I love you Char...goodbye." Giselle whispered as her Prince Charming rode away.

Back at the castle, heavily filled with guilt Charming reconciled with Cinderella. He began paying more attention to her once more, they spent time together, took trips, and was able to salvage their marriage. They began to act again much the same way they had as newlyweds, then by miracle chance an heir was soon on the way for them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A number of months passed and during that time Giselle did not see Char, though she missed him and wondered what had happened between them. She figured that he must have been especially busy, but also prayed that his health was good and that he was safe. As well during that time, Giselle realized that she had begun gaining weight and feeling especially hungry more often than not.

"Oh friends, I wish I knew why I'm always so hungry and why my dresses don't fit anymore. I need to lose weight, but I don't know how! Sometimes my belly moves on it's own, see!" Giselle exclaimed to her animal friends as she showed them her bump.

"Maybe you're going to have a baby? Char's baby..." some birds twittered.

"Char's baby? But how?" Giselle asked.

"True love's kiss..." the bullfrogs croaked.

"True love's kiss?" Giselle wondered.

"True love's kiss beside the sea and an heir to the kingdom there will be..." the owl wisely said.

"True love's kiss beside the sea?...Oh that kiss Char and I shared beside the pool in the forest glen! Why maybe I'm the one to give Char an heir to his kingdom? And oh I must leave soon by the looks of it!" Giselle gasped in delight over the discovery.

"Yes soon, soon..." the owl hooted.

"Yes I must! Goodbye animal friends and thank you!" Giselle said, as she threw on a cloak and saddled a shaggy donkey she'd found in the forest not long before that, and she rode on until she reached Prince Charming's kingdom.

When she got to the front of the castle and climbed the stairs, the guards wouldn't let her in, so she went in through the servants entrance and was able to work her way upstairs until she stood outside the throne room and asked to be presented.

Inside the throne room, Prince Charming and his father were practicing their sword fighting, while Cinderella who was heavily pregnant herself, sat on a throne and watched. Suddenly a servant came in and said "Sire I have someone to see you. She said that it's urgent and that you'd know her, a miss Giselle..."

"What? No..." Charming groaned under his breath.

Suddenly the door burst open and Giselle came scurrying barefoot across the floor and clasped his hand. "Char there you are! I haven't seen you in so long! And you have such a beautiful castle...Oh, I forgot my manners, your majesty." Giselle said as she knelt down at his feet and bowed low.

"Giselle, madam what are you doing here?" Charming said as he helped her to her feet.

"Oh Char I'm here because look, I'm going to have your bay..." Giselle began as she stewpped close, drew back her cloak and showed him her baby bump.

"Oh, oh boy...Don't say it too loud, there's been enough scandal around here as it is. Something about me and my sister-in-law Anastasia, which I barely remember...Anyway come with me and we'll sort it out in private." Charming whispered to her as he grabbed her arm and led her away.

"Oh okay. Is that your wife Char? She's lovely!" Giselle said as he led her away.

"Son what are you doing with that young lady? Not going to accost her are you?" the king said jokingly to his son.

"No dad, she just has an issue that she needs my help to sort out. Should only be a few minutes." Charming exclaimed.

"That's good! Hate to lose my sparing partner...and oh it looks like your wife has fallen asleep. You need to keep an eye on her son. Protect that grandson of mine, don't you know!" the king laughed.

When they got inside the study, Prince Charming closed the door and gave Giselle a seat on a nearby chair in front of the desk in the room. Then he proceeded to pace around the room, deep in thought, settling his hand on the mantle of the fireplace.

"Oh Char what's this room? Is it a library? It has so many books!" Giselle exclaimed in awe as she stared around the room that was filled with books, a desk, and a chair in front of a fireplace.

"This is just a small office, a study really. You should see the real library...anyway why are you here? Other than the uh...obvious." Charming asked accusingly, crossing his arms across his chest as he glared at her.

"Oh Char I'm here because I'm having your baby! An heir to the kingdom, just like you said you wanted!" Giselle exclaimed with joy as she started to rise.

"Are you sure it's mine?" Charming asked.

"Of course it's your's! You're the only one who's ever given me a true love's kiss..." Giselle exclaimed, as she stood and stared at him.

"True love's kiss...ha that was a mistake, just like this baby you say you're having." Charming said stiffly, glaring at her.

"A mistake?" Giselle asked surprised, falling back into the chair.

"Yes a mistake. Our whole relationship was a mistake, it shouldn't have happened." Charming said coldly, shaking his head.

"B-b-b-but I thought you were my best friend! I thought you loved me! How can a baby be a mistake you wish never existed." Giselle gasped and began to cry, tears welling in her emotional doe eyes.

"I'm sorry but we need to rectify this immediately. If the baby is mine, then it would be an heir, and even though Cinderella is about ready to give birth too, we could always use a spare..." Charming trailed off in thought, pacing the room once more, and pounding the mantle.

"Your wife is having a baby? Congratulations! But where does that leave me?" Giselle asked, cautiously hopeful.

Prince Charming buried his face in his hand, then looked up and said "Well Giselle it'd mean surrendering the baby to me and..."

"Surrender the baby to you? But do I get to take care of it?" Giselle asked, curiosity straining her voice as she stared up at him.

"Well..." Charming began, but then was interrupted when Giselle clutched her stomach and began to groan, causing him to realize that she must be going into labor. Thus, he pulled a bell cord, and a young, albeit slightly plump maid suddenly appeared.

"Uh Carlotta, we have a situation here...This young lady is indisposed or is about to give birth, so if you could help in any way..." Charming said in an official tone.

"Oh yes sire right away. Come on deary this way, don't be shy. We'll have you comfy in no time, and take care of this situation of yours..." Carlotta said as she led Giselle down a hall and into a bedroom.

When Prince Charming got back to the throne room, his father informed him that Cinderella's time had also come and that his new grandson was surely on his way! When charming heard that he just shook his head and thought 'Oh father if only you knew.'

A few hours passed and both women gave birth. Giselle stared down at her healthy baby boy and marveled at his curly dark hair and wide blue eyes. A perfect combination of both of his parents. She sang him a lovely tune as he stared up at her, seeming to smile. Meanwhile, Cinderella was under heavy sedation because her delivery had not gone well and her daughter was stillborn, though she didn't realize it yet.

When Prince Charming heard of the births, of the bonny son Giselle had delivered, and the poor wee mite which hadn't survived after Cinderella delivered her, he knew he had to think and act fast. With that in mind, he devised a plan, where with the help of the mice, acquired fairy godmother's wand. He walked to the door of the bedroom, knocked, and waited to come in.

Giselle had just laid the baby down in his cradle, when she heard a knock on the door. "Coming...Oh my beautiful little boy. You're more precious to me than the stars in the sky and the fish in the sea. I'm so glad that you're a part of my world..." Giselle said as she kissed his little face as he fell asleep, then laid her father's tin flute in the bassinet with the baby boy.

"Oh Char you're here to see your son, and what a handsome boy he is come see." Giselle greeted him with an embrace, then led Charming toward the baby.

Steeling himself, Charming stiffly broke the embrace, but followed her toward the bassinet. "Giselle I have to talk to you about something...Oh yes he is a handsome boy...my son." Charming said, with a sudden catch in his throat.

"Yes a handsome lad, just like his daddy! I thought we should name him Erin or Eric or something, wouldn't that be nice?" Giselle commented softly, attempting to rub his back.

"Yes, Eric...that would be fine..." Charming said distracted, then steeling himself for what was to come next, he went on "Giselle you know how you said you wanted to see the sea for yourself? Well you're going to have an opportunity to see much of it now..."

"Really? When?" Giselle gasped.

"Giselle, I'm sorry to do this, but it must be done...to make you forget...for the good of the kingdom." Prince Charming said emotion adding steel to his voice, as he waved fairy godmother's magic wand over Giselle.

"For-get...Ahh..." Giselle gasped as the magic swirled around her as she began to forget most of the events of the past few months, and began to collapse to the floor in a near faint.

Suddenly someone threw a cloak around her and the guards began to usher her toward the door. Charming stepped close to one of the guards and instructed him "Take her to the docks and put her on the next ship sailing for Andelasia, and be quick about it, make sure no one sees."

"Yes sir." the guards replied as they ushered Giselle away to the waiting ship.

Charming then looked down at his son, emotion and regret tingeing his voices as he sighed "I've sent your mother away...What have I done? What have I done?" He then drew his hand over his face and just shook his head.

Eventually the baby was brought into Cinderella's room to see. When Cinderella saw what she thought was her new baby, she fussed over him when she held him close. "So this is our son, dear? Oh he's adorable and I didn't know he'd be so big! He certainly has your dark hair and then some dear, but oh where did he get such wide blue eyes?" she asked.

"Oh you never know...it could be a hidden family trait I suppose...ha ha hmm..." Prince Charming said nervously.

"Oh I wonder what we should name this little guy? How about...?" she pondered.

"We'll name him Eric...I decided on that name while you were asleep." he said with nervous authority.

"Oh that's fine hon, Eric it is. Say hello to mama son." Cinderella said as she lifted the baby up to her shoulder for a cuddle, although he then started to cry.

Suddenly Cinderella's stepsister Anastasia came into the room and saw the baby. "Hey Cinderella is that your new baby? He doesn't seem to like you very much."

"Well would you like to hold your new nephew, Auntie Anastasia?" Cinderella asked teasingly.

"Oh okay it probably wouldn't hurt. Come to Auntie Anastasia little...err..."

"Eric, the baby's name is Eric." Charming and Cinderella simultaneously told her.

"Yeah Eric, baby Prince Eric...Aw see he likes me, he calmed right down...Hey ow let go of my hair you little..." Anastasia howled after the baby calmed down, cooed, and grabbed her hair.

"Ha ha maybe he's partial to redheads." Cinderella joked.

"Yeah maybe...oh boy..." Charming agreed as he groaned under his breath.

"You should say so Cinderella! Ow here you can have your son back...though it is sorta funny how he quit crying when I picked him up!" Anastasia said as she laid the baby back in his bed. Then she noticed the flute, picked it up to examine it, and commented "A sailor's flute? You two getting him ready for the royal navy, hmm?"

"Well its...never too early to start thinking of one's future ... especially for a prince!" Charming said as he grabbed the flute from Anastasia and put it in his pocket.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Meanwhile on the ship, Giselle was more confused than ever. Here she was on a ship sailing for someplace called Andelasia, but she couldn't remember exactly why. She felt a loss in her heart that was so deep it made her sad. She felt like she had not only lost her true love, but also more, like a child, and a mother's heart always knows.

The cool breeze was tendrils of her hair out from under her cloak as she look out over the sea and had faint memories of Char, her old life at the cottage, and even the baby she'd just had, come floating back in a murky mist. Feeling forlorn and a bit impetuous, Giselle climbed to the side of the deck and looked down at the murky waters below. Was the sea the same to swim in as her calm pool, or was it the cruel monster she'd heard some of the sailor's speak of? She didn't know, so she climbed over the railing and held on, one hand on a rope, one on the rail, her feet on the edge of the deck.

Suddenly she heard a voice from down below call up to her. Looking down, Giselle was astonished to see a woman swimming in the ocean down below.

"Hello up there! You weren't going to do what I thought you were going to do, were you?" the woman asked.

"What? I can't hear you!" Giselle called over the roar of the waves.

"Shh, not so loud. I don't want the sailors to hear or see me. Give me a hand up, so we can talk." the woman said as she stretched out a hand and Giselle helped her up to a perch on the side of the ship.

"Oh, oh my gosh! You're a mermaid!" Giselle gasped in surprise as she stared at the mermaid with auburn hair.

"Yes I am. My name is Queen Athena, queen of the mer people...at least in this part of the ocean." Athena said with a smile.

"Wow a queen! This is the first time I've met a queen...and a mermaid! Pleased to meet you, I'm Giselle." Giselle said as she extended her hand for a handshake.

"Well Giselle, I'm pleased to meet you too. By the way, you weren't ready to do what it looked like you were about to do, were you?" Athena asked curiously.

"What did it look like I was going to do?" Giselle asked.

"Oh jump into the ocean to end it all because some prince broke your heart...Am I right?" Athena asked.

"My you don't realize how close you came! Yes Prince Charming broke my heart. He was my best friend, or so I'd thought, but then he suddenly rejected me and went back to his wife...I even had his baby...I think!" Giselle cried.

"Oh you poor dear! Come cry on mama's shoulder. Tell me all about it dear." Athena said soothingly.

Giselle told what she could remember of her relationship with Char and the possible baby, while Athena listened carefully then commented "Well dear you got yourself into a situation indeed. So you have a few choices now, you could end it all, I could perhaps turn you into a mermaid..."

"You could do that?" Giselle gasped in surprise.

"Yes, but I'd have to borrow my husband's trident for that and he's pretty strict..." Athena paused.

"Oh don't bother with that then." Giselle interrupted.

"Yes I think I agree with you there...Anyway, your final choice would be continuing your journey to...Where'd you say you were going to?" Athena asked.

"Andelasia.." Giselle answered.

"Yes, continue on to Andelasia and try to forget your past as much as possible. Actually I have a way to make you forget about that and that you ever met me. I can do that quite easily." Athena commented.

"Oh yes I guess that's the best option because I don't want to perish yet if I don't have to, nor do I have to become a mermaid if its a bother. I'll go on to Andelasia, wherever that may be." Giselle said.

"That's a good attitude girl. You have a better grasp of the situation than my sister Merina did. Before I go I have to tell you her story." Athena began.

"Okay go on." Giselle said.

"I'll try to be brief. A long time ago my youngest sister Merina found this statue of a prince which she placed in her garden. I was satisfied with the jewels from the treasure chest, but she wanted the statue. Anyway by some strange coincidence she saves the prince from a shipwreck and falls in love with him, but mopes around when she couldn't find him, so being sympathetic to her cause, I showed her where he lived. Then somehow she convinced this sea witch to turn her into a human, but she couldn't talk, nonetheless though she had her prince for awhile...until he up and married someone else! My other sister sold her hair to the sea witch to save Merina, but instead of killing the prince with the magic dagger, she jumped overboard herself! Since Merina was no longer a mermaid, she couldn't swim, so...that was the end of her. Poor unfortunate soul that she was." Athena said sadly, as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"What a sad tale that was!" Giselle gasped, near tears herself.

"Yes indeed it was. But at least Merina's in a better place now...and you weren't so foolish. Well I've gotta get going. Six daughters to take care of and a cantankerous husband to tend to who hates his wife cavorting with humans...though I might go elsewhere first. Ah off to Neverland to see my boyfriend Peter Pan! Ha ha! Just kidding...maybe! Goodbye Giselle and take care of yourself." Athena said as she kissed Giselle's forehead and jumped off the ship, diving back into the ocean.

"Goodbye!" Giselle waved as she backed away. "Peter Pan, who's that?" she wondered as she rubbed her forehead then and wondered who she was saying goodbye to. She backed away from the rail and walked across the deck to ask a sailor where she was headed. When they told her Andelasia, she thought "Oh that sounds like a nice place to go." as the ship sailed on towards her new home.

Epilogue:

Prince Charming and Cinderella and their son Prince Eric had a charmed life indeed for the next decade or so, until Eric was orphaned after his parents' buggy accident where their carriage plummeted into a small canyon in the back woods. He was then taken under the tutelage of Captain Sayers and Sir Grimsby to grow to be the sailor prince he was destined to be. Despite having considered Cinderella as his mother, as the years passed he still would have this haunting dream about a woman with strawberry blond hair who sang to him and thus those were the qualities he unconsciously looked for in a future wife.

In the meantime, Giselle lived in a cottage in Andelasia, not that dissimilar to her other cottage, until one day she met Prince Edward, his stepmother Narissa, and thus her whole world turned pleasantly upside down.


End file.
